blueeighties Posted January 5, 2019 Author Share Posted January 5, 2019 And Shawplan radiator fan grilles. I think these are one of the biggest visual improvements that can be made to a 4mm diesel. After all, we spend a lot more time viewing the roofs than we do the prototype. The Hornby 56 whilst being a good model, has always suffered from some big, lazy detailing errors. The strangely sunken roof rad grilles for starters. A bit of work is required getting them to fit, but they look fantastic. Again the mesh is to scale, look at the comparison prototype shot. It also highlights just how coarse the factory bodyside mesh grilles are, but I have never been brave enough to fit new as they are so fine, handling damage would be very difficult to avoid. Prototype shot courtesy of Brian Daniels. 56 roof by rothburyuk, on Flickr DSC_0016 by rothburyuk, on Flickr DSC_0012 by rothburyuk, on Flickr 6 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dj_crisp Posted January 5, 2019 Share Posted January 5, 2019 Hi Lee I totally agree with you over Brian's etches (and especially so for the 56) and you've done a very neat job I'm working on a pair of grids atm. and have fitted his side and cantrail grille etches... I found the hardest part to fitting the side grilles is to attach the frames to the grille which judging by how well you've done the roof grille I'm sure you'll have no problems with! I take an age fitting these so I've no idea how you'd be able to fit them in a commercially viable enterprise However by fitting them it's then really noticeable Hornby got the framing slightly wrong. Brian suggested I try using the frames from the original version of side etches for the old Dapol/mainline one. It's only by fitting these that you notice how much shorter the new etch is (which I believe was done to match Hornby's dimensions)... it's amazing how much of the 56 is slightly out but overall I think it looks great. Hope you don't mind but I've attached a work in progress shot of one of the grids with the side and cantrail etches fitted....which I hope to finish in 2019. Lol Cheers Will 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueeighties Posted January 5, 2019 Author Share Posted January 5, 2019 Cheers Will, excellent job!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueeighties Posted January 6, 2019 Author Share Posted January 6, 2019 It’s amazing how much O gauge you do now lee, Heljan have really kept modern image going after the demise of JLTRT. I almost had a dabble till I realised the 25 doesn’t have a DCC socket....sod that. Anyway best of luck for 2019 ! Hi Rob, cheers. Unfortunately due to the nature of the chips, (screw terminals), most of the 7mm locos are not plug and play. If you need any help send me a pm, once you have done one it gets a lot easier! There are a few with lower current demands that take 00 21 pin plug in chips...the Dapol 08 and Heljan 128 are 2 off the top of my head. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueeighties Posted January 10, 2019 Author Share Posted January 10, 2019 104 screws, 170 soldered connections, 8 speakers, 8 soundchips, 16 bogies, 16 driveshafts, 48 wheels cleaned.... 49803803_270938453598263_2905191702367043584_n by rothburyuk, on Flickr 49721773_1006065276261689_4505475961143164928_n by rothburyuk, on Flickr 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
durham light infantry Posted January 10, 2019 Share Posted January 10, 2019 104 screws, 170 soldered connections, 8 speakers, 8 soundchips, 16 bogies, 16 driveshafts, 48 wheels cleaned.... 49803803_270938453598263_2905191702367043584_n by rothburyuk, on Flickr 49721773_1006065276261689_4505475961143164928_n by rothburyuk, on Flickr 48 axles, 96 wheels... 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueeighties Posted January 10, 2019 Author Share Posted January 10, 2019 (edited) Never was very good at maths :-0 Edited January 10, 2019 by blueeighties Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowlander Posted January 10, 2019 Share Posted January 10, 2019 Hi Lee How does the speaker in the tanks compare to the EM2 conversion? I've been using two iphone 6's. But I could change my mind. Regards Stephen Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray M Posted January 11, 2019 Share Posted January 11, 2019 104 screws, 170 soldered connections, 8 speakers, 8 soundchips, 16 bogies, 16 driveshafts, 48 wheels cleaned.... 49803803_270938453598263_2905191702367043584_n by rothburyuk, on Flickr 49721773_1006065276261689_4505475961143164928_n by rothburyuk, on Flickr I think your slacking a bit there Lee. Ya need to try harder. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueeighties Posted January 19, 2019 Author Share Posted January 19, 2019 A bit more weathering/colouring on a Heljan 7mm class 128 underframe. DSC_0024 by rothburyuk, on Flickr DSC_0014 by rothburyuk, on Flickr DSC_0017 by rothburyuk, on Flickr The Bachmann Swallow class 47 is very 'bling' straight out of the box, painted bogie pipes and silver buffers. This has been renumbered, renamed, and weathered. Looks a bit more realistic and 'everyday' in my opinion. DSC_0013 by rothburyuk, on Flickr DSC_0009 by rothburyuk, on Flickr DSC_0004 by rothburyuk, on Flickr 14 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crisis Rail Posted January 20, 2019 Share Posted January 20, 2019 You said you were "busy" Lee. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueeighties Posted January 20, 2019 Author Share Posted January 20, 2019 And? I am extremely busy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueeighties Posted January 21, 2019 Author Share Posted January 21, 2019 Got a lot of time for the wee Heljans. 26015 by rothburyuk, on Flickr 26015a by rothburyuk, on Flickr 26015b by rothburyuk, on Flickr 26015c by rothburyuk, on Flickr 11 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crisis Rail Posted January 21, 2019 Share Posted January 21, 2019 Like And? I am extremely busy. Good. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueeighties Posted January 25, 2019 Author Share Posted January 25, 2019 Back in the early days of Lee's Locos, I offered baseboard building,and layout construction as a service. It very quickly became apparent that this was a bit of a silly decision as the respray business became established, and demanded all of my time in a working week.Fast forward 5 years, and I was approached by a new customer mid last year for some potential help with his first layout. He had recently gone DCC, and started bringing me locos to fit sound to. Obviously time is money these days, so we agreed a fee, and we are now working our way through the layout, learning and progressing as we go. I actually really enjoy it, my customer gets a lot from it, we both learn, and the layout is progressing. This has been a stumbling block though, installing and wiring a DCC scissors crossover. Completed and powered up today, the next task is to wire in a DCC Concepts system, and start building a control panel. scissors by rothburyuk, on Flickr 51179629_294674317917350_3957827576038162432_n by rothburyuk, on Flickr This was fun, fitting a DCC chip to the wee Bachmann tamper. Even managed to squeeze a stay alive in! tamper by rothburyuk, on Flickr A trio of tasty grids progressing nicely. grids by rothburyuk, on Flickr 12 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueeighties Posted January 26, 2019 Author Share Posted January 26, 2019 One of my favourite BR blue duffs, 541, The Queen Mother. Resprayed and detailed Heljan. And yes, I must touch that number up! 47541 by rothburyuk, on Flickr 47541a by rothburyuk, on Flickr I have to say some of the Hattons used stock prices are now pretty eye watering, but the occassional exception to the rule still seems to pop in. Picked these up for the fleet for £22 each. ferrywagon by rothburyuk, on Flickr 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
millerhillboy Posted January 26, 2019 Share Posted January 26, 2019 Whats not to like for ne, superb looking 26s and 47541 a regular in my neck of the woods. Lovely work Do you ever get any n gauge stuff? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueeighties Posted February 2, 2019 Author Share Posted February 2, 2019 (edited) On 1/26/2019 at 9:28 PM, millerhillboy said: Do you ever get any n gauge stuff? Cheers for that, once in a blue moon I get any 2mm in I'm afraid. Edited February 2, 2019 by blueeighties Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crisis Rail Posted February 2, 2019 Share Posted February 2, 2019 5 minutes ago, blueeighties said: Cheers for that, once in a blue moon I get any 2mm in I'm afraid. lol. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueeighties Posted February 2, 2019 Author Share Posted February 2, 2019 And we are back! Forum looks fab So, what has been on the bench? Ever more class 37s. A nice trio of 37037, renumbered and re branded from a Bachmann 37049 Imperial, and a pair of Railfreight red stripes, done as 370 and 373. A popular pair these, they were regulars on the Gunnie cement tanks back in the day. 373 was a bit of an oddbod, with it's cut away lower nose ends and odd cantrail grilles. All fittred with Legoman sound, the Gunnie pair have a special 'paired' set of chips that work in unison, slightly different sounds between the 2. Vid attached. 37370 by rothburyuk, on Flickr 37370a by rothburyuk, on Flickr 37370b by rothburyuk, on Flickr 37373c by rothburyuk, on Flickr 37373d by rothburyuk, on Flickr 37373f by rothburyuk, on Flickr 37373g by rothburyuk, on Flickr 37037a by rothburyuk, on Flickr 37037b by rothburyuk, on Flickr 37037c by rothburyuk, on Flickr Sorry about the naff picture quality on the vids....just bought a new microphone, and tweaking camera setting so they will improve! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wv-Du-5FuNs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWdVStiuugc 12 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueeighties Posted February 2, 2019 Author Share Posted February 2, 2019 Weathering. It's a funny thing, but many folk tell me they perceive repainting as a considerably more difficult task than weathering. Sure you have to learn the actual process and technique of achieving a quality finish, but once you have that, it's like riding a bike. I can paint solid livery colours all day long. Weathering on the other hand is a whole different ball game. I have been respraying for 6 years now, and naturally as experience grows and techniques improve, one would expect the production bench to become ever quicker. This is true to a certain extent, but on the other hand, the complete opposite. As I learn more and observe more and more detail on the prototype, subtleties of colouring etc, it sort of 'draws you in', and slows the bloody process down more, as you spend more time trying to recreate more that you see! Don't get me wrong it's a very enjoyable process, but the workrate is never going to get any quicker or easier. The attached photo is a good demonstration. This is a pair of Heljan 0 gauge class 25s at the beginning of the weathering process. Both have had the yellow nose ends repainted to a more accurate shade, one is ready for weathering and 'fresh', the other has been lightly faded, and the first wash of dirt applied, with others to follow to build the muck up.Quite a difference isn't it? In the early days it was a quick blow over and rub off with paintbrushes. Interesting how things develop. And it's all still extremely enjoyable watching these models come to life 25b by rothburyuk, on Flickr 8 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GordonC Posted February 2, 2019 Share Posted February 2, 2019 Those 37s just look fantastic!! That 37037 was so tempting when you were advertising it ... the Mrs would have killed me if 'another' had turned up!!! ... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueeighties Posted February 4, 2019 Author Share Posted February 4, 2019 On 02/02/2019 at 22:12, GordonC said: Those 37s just look fantastic!! That 37037 was so tempting when you were advertising it ... the Mrs would have killed me if 'another' had turned up!!! ... Chuckle...sorry matey! I am doing some more as it has proved very popular. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueeighties Posted February 4, 2019 Author Share Posted February 4, 2019 Final touches getting applied to a pair of Heljan 0 gauge class 20s. Snowploughs are always tricky...their position against the inflexible plastic bufferbeam pipes makes life very difficult. I cut off the rather chunky supplied MU jumper cable, and replace with DCC electrical wire. Fiddly, but a much better job, and much easier to fit. I have tried to replicate some nice little weathering touches, such as the common class 20 faded bufferbeams, and on blue liveried 176, the old bufferbeam red colour showing through. And yes I know 141 didn't carry ploughs...the customer wanted them fitting. DSC_0002 by rothburyuk, on Flickr DSC_0006 by rothburyuk, on Flickr DSC_0010d by rothburyuk, on Flickr DSC_0016 by rothburyuk, on Flickr DSC_0017b by rothburyuk, on Flickr DSC_0021 by rothburyuk, on Flickr DSC_0024d by rothburyuk, on Flickr DSC_0027 by rothburyuk, on Flickr Short video of them with twin Legoman soundchips fitted. 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post blueeighties Posted February 10, 2019 Author Popular Post Share Posted February 10, 2019 Yesterday I was privileged to visit Simon George and his rather epic project 'Heaton Lodge Junction'. In a nutshell this is an as accurate as possible slice of four track mainline modelled in 0 gauge of a location where Simon used to watch the trains go by in his childhood. Set in the mid eighties, it also just happens to be my favourite era. The scale of the project is pretty much incomprehensible without seeing it in the flesh....the photos show 100' of the scenic side....there's still another 80' to complete. overall once the return loops and fiddle yard are built, the size will be approx 180'x50'. Whilst the true scale of this project is impressive enough, the thing that really got me and truly took my breath away was the accuracy, and level of detail that is being put into all of this. Track, ballast, road surfaces, grass, have all been painstakingly researched, many many materials tried and tested to obtain the most realistic results before committing to producing in bulk. Quite honestly, in 30 years of reading about, and being involved in modelling, I have never seen anything like it. Many thanks to Simon for taking the time to show us this labour of love. Enjoy the images. 19 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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